The Story of Syd: the third Chenowith child
by BrendaChenowith
Summary: Takes place in the fifth season of the show. Involving Brenda, Billy, Nate, Claire, and everyone else. this is my first story, so be gentle. Warning: adult language, and other adult themes. r&r please
1. The Reunion

**Disclaimer: I own nothing… this is the first chapter, it applies for the whole story!**

**The Reunion**

"Married, a kid, AND a shrink? I leave you alone for three years and this is what happens? I'm worried about you Brenda Chenowith, or is it Brenda Fisher now?" Brenda, standing by the cliffs, wearing her wedding dress and Nate's jacket, drinking a glass of Champaign, looking out at the horizon, turns around to approach the mystery person who has decided to criticize her at her moment of weakness.

"SYD! OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?!?" she exclaims.

"Did you honesty think I would miss this day? Sorry I'm a little late, your directions sucked."

"I didn't send you an invitation. When you disappeared after I left, no one knew where you were. I was beginning to think you were dead! How did you know I was getting married?" questioned Brenda.

"Connection Bren. Connection. And honey, don't worry, your baby will come. This one just wasn't meant to be. In time, you'll have your little girl." Syd said, in reference to the miscarriage Brenda had the night before, the night before her wedding.

"How did you-" Brenda started to ask, but realizing she knew the answer all along. It was the mental connection that Syd and Brenda share. Syd was telling the truth. She did in fact know Brenda was getting married today and the fact that she lost her baby the previous night, when only Brenda, Nate and Margaret knew.

"Now get over here bitch and give me a hug!" as they embraced, Brenda began to feel as though everything was going to be alright. A feeling she only had when Syd was around. Not even Nate made her feel like this.

"You look beautiful by the way" Syd whispered.

"Brenda?" Nate asked, walking in on the reunion.

"Nate, I want you to meet Syd Chenowith, Syd, this is Nate Fisher, my"

"Husband, yeah I know. He's cuter than I thought! Good job Bren." Syd answered, finishing Brenda's sentence.

"Chenowith eh? You must be a relative of Brenda's"

"I'm Brenda's cousin by law, but sister in reality" answered Syd, confusing Nate.

"Cousin? Sister? Why haven't I heard of you before?" asked Nate, still confused as to the relationship between this mystery person and his newlywed wife.

"Because Brenda is jealous and a little bit ashamed of me."

"Jealous? I think not my friend!"

"Ok, you two have you newlywed moment. I still haven't seen Billy and Mama Maggie. Damn I haven't seen them in almost 5 years. Bren, we'll talk later!" Syd kisses Brenda, gives Nate a hug (after all, he is her new brother-in-law) and walks off, shaking her head, repeating "I can't believe she's a shrink, I can't believe she's a shrink"

"So Brenda, who's this Syd character and why did she suddenly show up at our wedding?" asked Nate.

"She's my cousin. When she was four, her parents were murdered, very Harry Potter-esk. My parents adopted her, changed her last name, the whole nine yards. We grew up together as sisters. All the research and experimentation my parents did on Billy and I, she got it ten fold. While I was Charlotte Light and Dark, she was Samantha Life and Death. I'm sure Claire has read that one too." Explains Brenda, giving Nate the abridged version of Syd Chenowith's life.

"So you guys were close?"

"Very much more than close. Sometimes I swear we share a brain, a wavelength. Three years ago, when I left town, I went to see her to clear my head. She helped me turn my life around. But when I left, she disappeared, until now. No one knew where she was, or if she was even still alive."

"If no one knew where she was, how did she know about the wedding?"

"She just knew. She even knew about the baby. It's out mental connection. I can only explain it as a mental connection" explained Brenda.

"Is she here for good?"

"I certainly hope so. For everyone's sake, I certainly hope so!"


	2. It's Been a Long Time

**It's Been a Long Time**

After leaving Brenda and Nate, Syd ventured to the reception to face her little brother and the only mother she has ever known. The last time she was home was for thanksgiving, five years ago. Billy had decided to go off his meds just in time for the holidays, and was in the middle of a manic episode. Brenda and herself were taking turns watching him through the night, to make sure he didn't do anything to hurt himself. At around six am, after watching Billy scribble words that no longer resembled English, she decided she had had enough and needed to leave. She told Brenda she needed to smoke a cigarette and walked out of the house. She called Brenda three days later to let her know she was still alive. She never went home. Five years later, she has to face the family she walked out on, one November night five years ago. Brenda was the only person she saw or spoke to, and she was sworn the secrecy as to the wear about of Syd. And now she has to face them. She didn't know how Billy would react after she abandoned him, nor her mother, after she failed to attend her father's funeral. As hard as it was going to be, she knew she had to do it. If she wanted to turn her life around, these were the people she needed the most. Plus, she didn't want to be Maya's estranged aunt Syd. She wanted to change. She wanted to start over, and this was the first step. Billy and Margaret were sitting at a table, picking on the remains of the main course. Claire and Billy were making "googly" eyes at each other while Margaret shot them a scornful look. "It's nice to see nothing has changed" she thought. The moment of truth was upon her as she approached the table.

"Did you miss me?" she asks, hoping neither would throw a fork at her.

"Well it's nice to see that you're still alive. Are you aware that your father died last year?" typical mother, trying to shoot her down.

"Yes I know. Brenda told me. It's nice to see you have recovered from your loss" she remarks, in reference to Olivier, Margaret's new boyfriend. Syd was always stronger than she was, both mentally and physically, and Margaret hated that about Syd.

"Syd, wow, how's it going? I can't believe you're here." Billy exclaimed, as he jumped up and gave Syd a bit bear hug.

"Looks like someone has been taking his meds!" Thought Syd.

"Syd, this is Claire, my girlfriend. She's also Nate's sister, go figure! Have you met Nate yet?"

"Yeah, I just came from seeing Brenda and Nate. Hey, I'm Syd, Billy and Brenda's sister/ cousin. It's really quite confusing. I'll explain it to you some day! Hey, if you have another brother, we can have the Fisher/Chenowith trifecta!"

Claire laughs "I do have another brother, but…"

"Aww, is he married already?"

"Kind of. But he's gay." Explained Claire.

"Damn it! See Bill, everything really does come down to the fact that I don't have a penis!"

"So how long have you decided to grace us with your presence this time, Miss

Chenowith?" asked Margaret, not at all amused by Syd's sudden appearance.

"It all depends on how nice you are to me while I'm here."

"I hope you stay for a while. We have a lot of catching up to do." Billy said, sweetly and honestly.

"It looks like Claire has made an honest gentleman out of Billy. I wonder how long that'll last." Syd thought to herself.

"Claire! Brenda and Nate are getting ready to cut the cake. You should get a picture of that!" Ruth screamed from across the room.

"That's my mother. Stick around town long enough and I'm sure you'll have a run in with the Ruth Fisher Monster!" Claire said, as she grabbed her camera and trotted over to the bride and groom.

"Claire is taking the pictures for Brenda's wedding. She's an amazing photographer. I'll have to show you some of her work one day!"

"Wow, hiring the groom's sister as the photographer. Looks like someone's too cheap to hire a professional" Syd remarked, as Margaret shot her another scornful look. "It's good to see the old woman still has her spunk" Syd thought as she made her way over to the cake.


	3. A Reunion of Siblings

**A Reunion of Siblings**

The sun was beginning to set as the reception started to die down and the guest began to leave.

"Billy, is Syd still here?" Brenda inquired.

"I don't know. Last time I saw her, she was walking towards the cliffs." Billy answered as Brenda pulled him in the direction of Syd. As they were walking, Brenda gave out a sigh of relief "She's still here!"

"How do you know? I don't see her anywhere?" questioned Billy.

"Trust me. She's still here. She's waiting for us." As they approached the cliff, with the sunset painting the horizon, they saw a figure sitting on a rock, smoking a cigarette, staring at the sky.

"See I told you" Brenda whispered, as they sat down next to their sister. For a few moments, the Chenowith siblings were silent, taking in the setting sun.

"Do you guys remember the night that we ran away from home and spent the night on the beach?" asked Syd, finally breaking the silence, never taking her eyes off the horizon.

"Yeah, the cops found us sleeping on the beach, under the dock." Chimed in Brenda.

"That was a good night. It was right before you left the first time Syd." Billy said, scanning the faces of his older sisters.

"I kept thinking about that night the entire time I was gone. It's what made me come home."

"I thought it was Billy's fire incident that made you come home?" Asked Brenda.

"Nope. That's just the excuse I gave to Maggie and Bernie. I really came for you guys." Syd explained, lighting another cigarette. Brenda and Billy took one too.

"God, do you remember all the nights we used to spend in the tree house, smoking cigarettes and pot, and drinking whatever cheap shit we could get our hands on? All the while Maggie and Bernie thought we were in bed asleep." Remembered Brenda.

"I remember those times. Back in the day when things were simpler. We spent so much time, hiding from the parents in that tree house." Remembered Syd.

"They tore that down when you ran away Syd. They told me it was because I was getting too old for it. I knew it was because you ran away." Chimed in Billy.

"Why did you come back?" Brenda finally asked.

"For you two and for myself. I've been gone too long and I feel like I've lost the only people who matter at all in this world. I missed my father's funeral for Christ's sake. I wasn't around when my brother needed me the most. My sister's husband didn't even know I existed because my sister was too ashamed of me to tell him. I screwed up big time. I need to start my life over."

"You didn't screw up with us Syd." Brenda answered, putting her hand on Syd's shoulder.

"Yes I did. I left you. I walked out on my family. I screwed up my life, in ways that can not be discussed on my sisters wedding day."

"Syd, why did you leave five years ago?" asked Billy, hoping to finally know the truth of his older sister's disappearance.

"Because I couldn't take it any more. I couldn't take my life. I needed to walk away from it all and disappear." Syd explained.

"It wasn't because of me, was it?" asked Billy.

"Of course not, Billy. It was just something I needed to do."

"How long are you staying this time?" Asked Brenda. "I want Maya to know you."

"I don't know. I still have some things to take care of, and if all goes well, I'll be back for good soon." Answered Syd.

"And if everything doesn't?" asked Billy.

"Let's just hope it does." Answers Syd. She becomes quiet now, and lowers her head. Brenda notices she is crying.

"Syd…"

"I really love you guys. It's because of you that I've been able to get through my life. We've been though so much in our lives, both together and individually, and we are still standing, because we had each other. You guys are my rocks, without which I would fall. I really and truly could not live without you guys." The three hug for the first time since that thanksgiving five years ago, and for that moment, all three were invincible.

"I can hear the headlines now. 'Chenowith children become a lifetime movie.'" Billy jokes, while all three wipe their eyes and laugh.

"MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY!" Maya screams, as she runs up to the group, followed by Nate and Ruth.

"Maya wanted to find her mommy and tell her something." Nate said.

"Mommy looks pretty today" the three year old said, as she jumped up into Brenda's lap. Seeing Brenda with Maya made Syd smile.

"Thank you Maya!"

"Mommy, have you and Uncle Bully been crying? Your eyes look like Grandma Ruth's did this morning when you and daddy were standing in front of us. Are you sad?" Maya asked innocently.

"No honey. These are tears of happiness. I want you to meet someone special. This is your Aunt Syd, Mommy and Uncle Billy's sister. Mommy and Uncle Billy haven't seen Aunt Syd in a very long time." Explained Brenda.

"Hi Maya, it's nice to meet you. You look pretty today!"

"Thank you" Maya said in her cute innocent voice, as she jumped up and ran back to Nate, who picked her up, her little body fitting with his like a puzzle piece, her little head resting on her father's shoulder.

"She's beautiful Nate."

"Yeah! She's our little sunshine girl. Bren, we should probably get going. My mom wants to go home and we need to pack Maya's things. And Bill, my sister is looking for you; I think she wants to leave too."

"Yeah, she wanted to get some of those pictures developed tonight." Billy said as he got up and walked away, followed by Nate, Brenda, and Maya, arm and arm, with Maya now falling asleep in Brenda's arms.

"Bye guys. See you soon…hopefully" Syd whispers and lights another cigarette.


	4. A Little History

**A Little History**

Sydney Douglas was born a month before Brenda and spent the first four years of her life living in toddler bliss with her parents (her mother being Margaret's sister). Until one night, when her father caught a robber in the midst of robbing the house and subsequently got himself and Syd's mother killed. Being orphaned, Shy was given to Margaret and Bernard Chenowith. The Chenowiths adopted poor Syd and even gave her their last name. Syd and Brenda were four years old and Billy was just an infant, and their little family was complete. Syd's presence also fueled research and experimentation of the effects of death on a toddler's psyche. Where Brenda was Charlotte Light and Dark, Syd was Samantha Life and Death, the sequel written by the same Psychiatrist. Growing up in the same atmosphere as Brenda and Billy, Syd was also the product of two psychotherapists: overly analytical and overly skeptic of everything, as well as psychologically scared from everything. After unsuccessful run away attempts as a teenager, Syd left home for good when she was eighteen, but returned shortly after, after finding out about Billy's suicide attempt. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, keeping her around for a while longer. She left for good November of 2000, when she walked out of the house at six am and never returned, keeping in contact with Brenda and Brenda only (for reasons we will discuss later). Three years prior, when Brenda left LA, she went to Syd, and together they turned their lives around. However, after Brenda left, Syd disappeared again, this time telling no one her whereabouts. Without contact with her siblings, Syd hit rock bottom. This brings us to the present, with Syd's sudden arrival at Brenda and Nate's wedding.


	5. Syd's Return

**Syd's Return**

It was a cold rainy night about a month later. Billy and Claire had just left Brenda and Nate's humble abode after dinner. Nate had just put Maya to bed and Brenda was sitting in front of her computer, typing away at her Cognitive Psychology paper, while Nate pulled out a stack of paperwork from _Fisher and Diaz_ and settled at the dinning room table across for her. Brenda had an uneasy feeling all night, but attempted to push it back in her mind while she finished her work. She could think about it later, but first she had to write that paper. The two worked in silence, looking up every so often to smile at each other, when there was a loud bang coming from the front porch followed by a weak knock on the door. The sound startled the two and seemed to wake Maya, who hadn't been asleep very long, her cries coming from the baby monitor in the middle of the table.

"I'll see what it is, you take care of Maya" Brenda instructed, getting up from the table. Nate disappeared into his daughter's room as Brenda approached the door and unlocked it. Lying on the porch floor was a soaking wet mess of a person, with a small pool of blood collecting next to her. Without a second glance, Brenda knew exactly who it was. It was Syd. As she promised, Syd would be back for good shortly after the wedding, and Brenda finally realized the mess Syd had gotten herself into. Syd was conscious, but very weak, and defiantly beaten pretty badly. She was shaking uncontrollably, partly because of the cold, partly because of the trauma she suffered before coming here. All she said was "Brenda, I'm sorry!" Brenda began picking her sister off the ground as Nate appeared at the door to investigate the situation. They helped her into the house and into the kitchen, far enough away from Maya that she wouldn't hear them talking. "Brenda, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry" was all she could bring herself to say as Nate ran to get towels and dry clothes to warm up his sister-in-law.

"Syd, what happened?" Brenda asked as she helped her sister peal off layers of wet, blood soaked clothes. Standing in the Kitchen in just a bra and underwear, Brenda could see the origin of all the blood. Syd was covered from head to toe in bruises and slashes, obviously inflicted by someone much stronger than her.

"Who did this to you?" asked Brenda, staring at the mutilated body of her sister.

"I told you I needed to take care of some things before I came back for good. Well, I took care of them, and then they took care of me. But it's all over now. I'm free." Syd says, with a smile on her face.

"Oh SHIT! Syd, what happened to you?" Nate asks, walking in on his half naked sister-in-law.

"It's all over now, Nate. That's all there is to say." Syd says.

"Syd, we have to get you to the hospital." Nate remarked.

"They ask questions at the hospital. I can't go there." Syd said, suddenly becoming worried about the idea of having to testify to the police against the people who beat her.

"Syd, don't be stupid! If you don't go to the hospital you'll die! Who knows if you have internal injuries, and those lacerations WILL get infected if you don't get them checked out." Brenda remarked, becoming slightly annoyed at her sister's stubbornness.

"NO Brenda! I'll be fine!" screamed Syd, becoming scared. Brenda, sensing her sister's fear said, "Syd, I'll be right next to you. I'll call Billy. You need to get checked out. We'll do it together. Please Syd, do this for me. For Billy. For Maya. Please."

"Alright, fine. For you guys. But I'm not telling them what happened. That's all I need, to have these people after me again!"

"Thank you!" Brenda said, as she ran out of the room. Nate handed her a towel and she started to dry herself off, wiping blood from her arms and body, only to have new, fresh blood take it's place. Brenda returned with her jacket and keys, ready to help Syd out of the house and to the car.

"Stay here with Maya. I'll call Billy when we get there. I don't want to alarm anyone. I'll call you when we know more." Brenda instructed as she put her arm around Syd to help her up. Nate put his arm around her other side and the walked out to the car.

"She'll be fine" Nate whispered to Brenda as she closed the door and drove away. When they arrived at the hospital, Syd's wounds had begun to bleed more, so they took her in right away. As they wheeled Syd off on the gurney, Brenda began to get a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. "She's going to be fine" she kept repeating to herself, as she dialed her brother's number on her cell phone.

"Bren, what's the matter? Is Maya alright?" Billy asked as soon as he picked up the phone. No 'Hello' needed. He knew something was wrong when his sister called that late.

"Maya's fine. It's Syd. She's in the emergency room. She was beaten pretty bad." Brenda explained.

"I'll be right there" Billy said, as he hung up the phone and jumped out of bed. Claire woke up when Billy threw the covers off and ran to the closet.

"Billy, what's the matter?" she asked, wondering why her boyfriend was running around getting dressed in the middle of the night.

"My sister's in the hospital." He answered, throwing a t-shirt on.

"Brenda? What's the matter? Is the baby alright?" Claire asked.

"No it's Syd. Brenda said she was beaten pretty badly. I don't know anything else. Brenda's there now." Billy answered, trying to put on his shoes.

"I'm coming with you!" Claire exclaimed, jumping up and grabbing her pants. The two left and drove (like a maniac) to the hospital. When they got there, Brenda was pacing back and forth, biting her nails.

"Brenda, have you heard anything? How is she?" asked Billy.

"The nurse just came out and said they were taking her to do some tests to make sure there are no internal injuries. She said she broke her arm in a few places, but it looks like there are no other injuries." Brenda explained, as she fell into her brother's arms.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I don't really know. After you guys left, she just showed up at the front door, soaking wet and bleeding. I had to persuade her to go to the hospital. She said it was all over. So whatever it was, it's done with." explained Brenda.

"I'm going to get us some coffee." Claire said, sensing the brother and sister needed some time alone.

"Claire, wait" Brenda said, jumping up to meet Claire. "Thanks for being here! I know Billy appreciates it, and so do I"

"No thanks needed, Brenda. Anything for you!" Claire said, and left on a quest to find coffee. Brenda returned to Billy, and the both sat down, holding hands, leaning on each other.

"She's going to be fine, Bren. She's a fighter. She was always stronger than us. She'll be fine!" Billy whispered, attempting to comfort his sister.

"I know." Brenda replied. "I know." Twenty minutes later Claire returned with three coffees to find the Chenowith children exactly as she left them. As she handed them the coffee, a doctor emerged in his white lab coat. Brenda jumped up so fast that she almost knocked the cup out of Billy's hand.

"Are you Brenda Chenowith?" he asked.

"Yes, that's me." Brenda answered, turning white as a ghost.

"Your sister is just fine. There were no internal injuries. We are just finishing up setting her arm and stitching up the lacerations. She's going to be just fine." He explained, as Brenda and Billy released a sigh of relief. "I'll take you two her."

"I'm her brother, I want to see her too." Screamed Billy, jumping out of his seat.

"Family only, but certainly." The Doctor answered.

"Claire, can you call Nate and tell him that she's alright and that we'll be home as soon as we're done here" asked Brenda.

"Of course, go to Syd." Claire answered, as Billy and Brenda disappeared into the ER.


	6. The Next Morning

**The Next Morning**

Syd woke up to the sound of Maya running around the house. It wasn't nine in the morning yet, and the little girl was already running around the house. "Damn, I give Brenda and Nate a lot of credit" she thought to herself, as Maya ran up to the couch and poked Syd in the shoulder. Her right arm was in a cast up to her shoulder and her face was pretty bruised. Although the swelling had gone down, it was still black and blue. "Thank god all the lacerations were under my clothes. Poor Maya would defiantly be terrified if she saw me like that." Syd thought to herself.

"Good morning Maya." Syd said, pushing herself up to sit, trying her hardest to refrain from screaming in pain. "Come sit next to Aunt Syd. You remember me from your mommy and daddy's wedding, don't you?" she asked.

"Yes. Why does your face look all funny?" Maya asked, in reference to the bruises on Syd's face.

"Aunt Syd had a little accident, but I'm alright now" Syd explained.

"YAY" Maya said and gave her aunt a big hug. Her niece smelled like baby powder and chocolate chip cookies. Inspire of her injuries, she hugged that little girl as long as she could. Suddenly, her life started to look up.

"Maya, leave your aunt alone. She's had a hard night" Brenda yelled from the kitchen.

"Come here and eat your breakfast"

"OK mommy!" Maya said and she scampered off to the kitchen.

"That's alright. Maybe later I can take Maya to the park, and when I get my arm back, I can push her on the swings" Syd said.

"Are you sure you're up to that? After last night?" Brenda asked.

"Yeah. I've missed too much time already." Syd answered.

"As long as you're up to it." Brenda said. Syd nodded. "How does that sound Maya? Do you want to go to the park later with your aunt Syd?" Brenda asked the three year old.

"UH HUH" Maya said, in between bites of oatmeal.

"She likes you" Brenda said, walking into the kitchen, keeping one eye on her daughter in the dinning room.

"I love her. She's precious!" Syd answered, hobbling behind Brenda into the kitchen. Brenda poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Syd.

"Ahh, you're a doll. You know exactly what I need." Syd said, taking a sip of the piping hot coffee. With that, Nate walks in, struggling to fix his tie. As soon as Brenda saw him struggling, she assisted her husband. "The two of them are so cute together. And they have certainly been through a lot together over the years" Syd thought to herself. With a kiss on the lips, Brenda handed Nate his travel mug of coffee and he left the house, stopping to say good by to Maya. "What a good little house wife Brenda has become. What the hell happened to my sister?" Syd thought to herself. As soon as Maya finished her bowel of Oatmeal she started running around the house. Brenda started chasing her, with Maya's high pitched giggles filling the house. Brenda scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom, to start their day. "I'm really glad you're home Syd." Brenda said, as she disappeared into Maya's room.

"Me too" Syd whispered, "Me too."


End file.
